Shattered Vows
by penguins-n-skittles
Summary: It is the day of Ron and Hermione's wedding and everyone's happy. Or at least, almost everyone is. Harry's got something that he needs to tell Hermione, but he's not sure if he should. Will Hermione and Ron even get married?
1. Pretty Girl

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and the people of Hogwarts. I just use them for my own twisted plots.

A/N: This is going to be a lot shorter than my Holly Potter series. I wanted to write something to distract me…

_Speak now, or forever hold your peace._

Harry had been involved with the wedding plans of his two best friends from the beginning. He knew that those seven words would not be uttered during the ceremony, but they were still plaguing his mind. Ron and Hermione were going to be united as husband and wife in mere hours. There was just one problem with that.

Weddings were about happiness and love and that was the problem. Harry was sitting in the pub, drinking firewhiskey and trying to figure out whose happiness was most important to him on the day his best friends tied the knot. And as if his day couldn't get any odder it was _Malfoy_ of all people who helped him decide on what he should do.

The young former Gryffindor was sitting at the bar for an hour or two, nursing his drink, when his dreaded enemy from school walked in. The blonde wizard walked over and sat down next to Harry, "If it isn't Harry Potter, the annoying Boy-Who-Lived-and-Died-and-Lived-Again. What brings you to the pub on this momentous occasion? Aren't you supposed to be the best man for your annoying little tag-alongs? I don't think Granger will be too happy if you ruin the wedding."

Thinking he was not nearly drunk enough to deal with someone who made his Hogwarts years unbearable, Harry rolled his eyes as he made a move to get up, "I don't have the time or the energy to deal with a waste of space like you, Malfoy. I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again, but that would just be a horrible lie. I can't think of a time it's ever been a pleasure."

Surprisingly, Draco stopped him from leaving, "Wait, just sit down again. It's stupid of us to keep acting like we're in Hogwarts. If Professor Snape taught us anything, it's that holding a childhood grudge never works out well. Besides, you look like you need someone to talk to."

Thinking for a long moment, the twenty-year-old with the lightning-shaped scar finally sat back down, "And you care why?"

The blonde shrugged as he ordered his own drink, "I don't care, really. I'm bored and in need of amusement and you clearly are a man in need of an objective ear. Works well for both of us, wouldn't you agree? Clearly, you can't talk to Granger or Weasley about this."

Taking another long gulp of his drink so he could think for a minute, Harry glanced at his old classmate. Alcohol and worry combined to make him more foolhardy than usual, so he sat down, "You know what, you're right! Maybe you'll know what I should do."

Looking vaguely amused, the former Slytherin didn't say anything as he quirked an eyebrow. Harry took a deep breath before speaking again, "So, say that your two most favorite people in the world are planning on getting married, but you have some vital piece of information that you think should be known before they get married. The only problem is that this information could ruin your friendship with both of them. What do you do?"

Sorting through what Harry was going on about, Draco took a sip of his own drink and then spoke, "So, you know something that could change how they feel? I think the most important question you should ask yourself is whether this information would do more harm if it was known or kept to yourself. Once you answer that, then you'll know what you should do."

Harry set his firewhiskey down as he thought about what Draco had said. After a few moments of silence, he picked up the drink and chugged it down. Slamming his glass back down on the bar, the inebriated dark-haired man stood up and walked out of the pub. Laughing slightly before he picked up his own drink, the rich blonde paid for the other man's drinks.

~*~Less than an hour later~*~

As Harry made his way to the church where Hermione was already getting ready, he thought about what he was going to say. It wasn't every day that you said something that could change so many lives in one breath. He was quite sure that there would be yelling and tears and maybe even fighting, but he couldn't bear to hide it any longer.

Every single way he came up with to tell her didn't seem right somehow. Sighing, he just stopped thinking and decided that he would wing it. It was lucky that he hadn't figured out what he wanted to say anyways. Any carefully thought out words would have melted away at the sight of Hermione.

She looked positively radiant in the wedding dress that she had chosen. It was a simple dress with the only extra touches being the lace sleeves that just covered her shoulders and some odd stitching running down one side of the dress. She was also wearing a diamond necklace and her normally frizzy brown hair had been tamed and put up in some complicated way that Harry could never hope to describe. Like Fleur, she was wearing Ron's Great Aunt Muriel's tiara.

Once Harry cleared his throat, the bride-to-be turned around and smiled in clear relief, "Oh, Harry, Molly and Ginny have been looking all over for you! You were supposed to bring Ron here. Ron was afraid that you didn't want to be best man anymore and had run off. George was making these horrible jokes about being a one-earred best man. I think the wedding planner is going to start crying soon, too…"

Harry let out a sigh and closed the door, locking it so that no one could get in. He moved close to Hermione, "Listen, Hermione, we need to talk…"

Sniffing once, her smile of relief quickly turned sour, "Have you been drinking, Harry? What on earth were you thinking? I know you've been rather distant lately, but honestly I would have thought that you of all people would do your best not to ruin my wedding to Ron! You know the problems that we've gone through and you said that you understood and that you'd be there for us no matter what. What do you think Ron will do when he finds out?"

Though his head was slightly fuzzy, Harry spoke so that he could stop her tirade, "Hermione, just listen. I was at the pub talking to Malfoy and he said…"

This clearly was not what Hermione had wanted to hear since she was beginning to get angry, "So you were drinking! And with Malfoy, too? What could have possessed you to do something so foolish? One would think…"

What one would think, Harry would not find out. As soon as he started to speak over her, she stopped talking out of shock. Harry continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Well, what he said didn't actually matter. But I was thinking about happiness and I was trying to figure out whose was more important, yours or Ron's. And I've made a decision! If I know something and Ron knows something, it's only fair you know it too!"

Looking exasperated, Harry's best friend stared at Harry, "What are you talking about? You're speaking nonsense."

Ignoring the feeling of sickness that he was beginning to feel, Harry looked down at his feet, "I hope that you don't hate me once I tell you this. We've been friends since our first year in Hogwarts and you've helped me more than Ron ever has. You were there for me when Ron was angry because of the Goblet of Fire and again when we were searching for Horcruxes. For this reason, I feel that it is my duty to tell you that I know firsthand that Ron's been cheating on you…"

A/N: As I said, this is not going to be very long. It's going to be three, possibly four chapters, each from a different person's perspective, sort of. The first chapter is obviously Harry's and the second will be Hermione's reaction to the news.


	2. Heard it Through the Grapevine

A/N: This chapter beat me up a little. Hopefully the next part will be better and easier. Probably doesn't help that I watched A Very Potter Musical for the first time and am now distracted by its silliness.

_For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part._

It seemed as if time had stopped for the brunette witch, her mind completely freezing up. It was clear to her that Harry was still talking, but she couldn't understand a word he spoke. All she could hear was blood pounding in her ears and four words over and over again. "He cheated on you…he cheated on you…he cheated on you…"

She wasn't sure how long it was before she actually gained control of her thoughts and hearing again. All she knew was that Harry had been looking at her strangely for a while now and had apparently been asking if she was okay several times. Blinking a little more than necessary, she shook her head to clear her mind. "I'm sorry, Harry, I could have sworn you said that Ron had cheated on me. Surely I'm mistaken, though, as you wouldn't have chosen the day of our wedding, of all days, to tell me."

Obviously uncomfortable, Harry rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "Well, you would think that, wouldn't you? I mean, what kind of friend tells a girl that her soon-to-be husband is cheating on her?"

Hermione's hands moved to her hips as she glared at her best friend. "Harry, what are you trying to say?"

Gulping, the young wizard stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked to the table at her side. He spoke nervously, "I'm beginning to think that this was a mistake. I guess it serves me right for listening to a Malfoy for any reason. It was a stupid idea and we should just pretend that I never came in here at all."

As she shook her head, Hermione stepped closer to her oldest magical friend. "Oh no, you don't get to just let something like that out and then try to backtrack on me. Harry James Potter, stop talking in circles and just speak the truth! Has Ron cheated on me or not?"

With a sigh, the young wizard looked up to finally meet her gaze. His words were barely slurred. "Twice that I know of. The first was right around the time of Voldemort's defeat and I didn't tell you because you guys hadn't even officially gone out yet and he seemed really upset about it. It was just something stupid that he did. Then, you guys had that big fight last week about the wedding and his bachelor party. The bachelor party ended pretty early, because Ron clearly wasn't happy. The next day, he told me that he was on his way to the pub when he got distracted…"

Hermione had to sit down in the seat in front of the mirror, managing to at least seem emotionless, "Distracted? How so? By who?"

Not wanting to stand anymore, Harry walked over to sit in a chair by the wall. Vaguely, Hermione was wondering where the other girls had run off to who were supposed to be helping her get ready. She knew that Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had gone off in search of Harry, but it seemed like they should be back by now. Plus, Fleur and Luna had just run off without saying anything to her.

Knowing that this was her mind's way of trying to drown out what Harry was saying, Hermione finally concentrated on what he was talking about. His answer to her question elicited a gasp from the bride-to-be. "I expected you to say Lavender Brown, honestly. I mean, he's only had two girlfriends in his life and one other date in his life, so it would be perfectly logical for it to be Lavender. But Parvati Patil? I suppose it makes a sort of twisted sense as she was Lavender's best friend and the twin sister to his date for the Yule Ball."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at his friend, worried about her response. "Hermione, you're being awfully clear-headed and rational about this. Most girls would be screaming and cursing if they'd found out like this. Are you really okay?"

Hermione wasn't about to admit it to Harry, but she did feel like she wanted to beat something until either it or her hand started bleeding. While on the surface she seemed calm, the witch was anything but. Her thoughts were veering off in so many directions that she was surprised her head didn't just pop off. Trying to remain calm and logical was the only reason why she wasn't storming into the room where her groom was.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked at her best friend with her most serious expression. "Harry, do you think that you could leave me alone? I find myself needing to be alone so that I can think…"

Nodding wordlessly, Harry got up out of the seat he had been occupying. He gave her one worried glance before turning and walking out of the door to leave her to her thoughts.

~*~*Nearly a half an hour later…*~*~

Hermione had thought through what Harry had told her and had decided on a course of action. After staring at her image in the mirror for a few minutes, she got out of her chair and went off in search of Ron. On her way to his dressing room, she had passed by Luna and Fleur who seemed to be looking for something. She had also seen Harry speaking in quiet, urgent whispers to Ginny.

Finding Ron was easier than she had thought it would be, though he was surrounded by several of his family members. George was gazing absently out the window and rubbing the spot where his ear used to be, something Hermione had noticed he did when he was thinking about his twin. Arthur seemed to be giving his youngest son advice, while Percy was fixing his clothes.

Everyone stopped what they were doing when they noticed Hermione standing in the doorway. Ron gave her a half-smile. "Sweetie, you know that the groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding…"

He stopped talking as soon as he noticed the serious expression on her face. His smile fell once she spoke up. "Ron, I would like to talk to you alone. Right now."

The others looked to Ron, who just gave them a nod and shooed them out of the room. More than nervous, he seemed curious as to what her problem was. He sat on the couch, speaking calmly, "Okay, we're alone now. What's wrong? Did they forget to bring the flowers or something? Maybe the preacher had a heart attack?"

Shaking her head, Hermione glared at Ron, "Ronald Weasley, that's not something you should be joking about. Our wedding is something that is supposed to be taken seriously."

Ron held up placating hands. "I am taking it seriously, Hermione. Trust me, I am. I just don't see why we need to have such a big wedding. We should have just gone and eloped like I said so many times before."

She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly annoyed. Ignoring his trying to calm her down, her tone was harsh, "Ron! We've been through this before and I didn't come here to argue over something we've discussed numerous times before."

Ron quirked an eyebrow, looking at her questioningly, "Then why did you come in here? What's the problem now?"

Crossing her arms, Hermione let out a huff, "I came to talk to you about something that Harry just talked to me about…"

The red-haired groom ended up looking confused, wondering what she was talking about. "What could Harry have possibly told you that would bring you here right before we are supposed to be getting married?"

She couldn't even look him in the eye as she asked, instead looking down at the floor. "I wanted to see if what Harry told me was true."

Ron rolled his eyes, realizing that she was procrastinating. "Hermione, just spit it out. What did Harry tell you? I can't say if it is true or not until I actually know what it is."

Raising herself up in her seat, Hermione finally looked him in the eye. She spoke determinedly, "He told me that you cheated on me. So, is it true?"

He was silent for a few minutes as he looked at the woman he thought was going to be his wife. Finally, he opened his mouth and answered quietly, "I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want to lie to you either. What would you like me to say?"

Hermione stood up with a sigh, looking defeated. "You don't need to say anything. You just answered my question for me. I don't think that we should be getting married today."

Having spoken, she made her way to the door. Ron stood as well, moving to stop her. "Wait, Hermione! Those girls didn't mean anything to me. I was being stupid…"

His words managed to stop Hermione in her tracks. She turned to him, mouth opened in shock. "Girls? You mean there was more than just Parvati?"

A/N: Dun dun dun! Not much to say except that the next part will be Ron's POV and therefore we'll get to see his reasoning…


End file.
